


broken pieces

by BlueSapphire718



Series: i will sing no requiem [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Canonical Character Death, Developing Friendships, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Keith's Wolf is named Kosmos, Khuran is Kolivan, Mentioned Keith/Lance (Voltron) - Freeform, Merged Bodies, Minor Antok/Kolivan (Voltron), Protective Kolivan (Voltron), Team as Family, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22503517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueSapphire718/pseuds/BlueSapphire718
Summary: So Keith understands that being the ward of a guardian who’s an alien can cause some problems, especially when Shiro returns. He just doesn’t understand how it turned from ‘save Shiro’ to ‘I am now a Paladin of Voltron.’ At least Adam understands him.And his former fellow cadets.(Or, thei will sing no requiemAU of a season 1 rewrite, where Kolivan has time travelled back, Keith grew up with a family, Adam and Shiro are making sure no one does anything stupid, and the Garrison trio are trying to understand what’s going on.The Alteans and space mice aren’t helping much.Much.)
Relationships: Adam & Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Adam & Kolivan (Voltron), Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Allura & Coran & Hunk & Keith & Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro, Coran & Kolivan (Voltron), Keith & Kolivan (Voltron), Kolivan (Voltron) & Other(s)
Series: i will sing no requiem [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1614859
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the sequel to _a candle to remember_! I would like to raise the awareness that this is being made into a series, and that I hope all of you enjoy this!

If Keith learnt anything, it would be that some things will happen, despite what he wants otherwise.

He glances up at his guardian, who only gestures to the small quarantine camp the Garrison set up where the Galra escape pod crashed. Kosmos licks his cheek and gives a quiet yip, nudges him to hurry. The message is clear, even if Khuran or Kosmos doesn’t say anything; get Shiro out, and make sure they escape without leaving a trace. 

Gives them both a nod, before he pats his knife to make sure it’s still on him, he runs towards the entrance of the quarantine camp. There’s no room for mistakes, and if he makes one, there’s going to be trouble. Khuran wouldn’t be able to bust him out of it and he’ll have to face the Garrison alone.

Adam wouldn’t be able to save him from the trouble he’s in, either. Kosmos might, but he’d rather have the Cosmic Wolf safe.

Reaching the end of the hallway, he covers his face and waits for the doors to slide open. Anticipation runs through his veins when they do, revealing three people surrounding someone on a table.

Shiro.

Bingo. He feels his lips curl into a smirk.

“Hey, you’re not allowed in here-” Keith interrupts him, throwing a quick punch to knock the guy out, before ducking his head under another person. He shifts his entire weight onto one leg, shoving them into the wall and knocking them out, too. 

A yell catches his attention, and he dodges the syringe the final person is holding, holding out a leg to trip them over. Their head bangs against the floor before they stop moving. These people are amateurs at trying to defend themselves or fight someone, and he’s lucky he has Khuran to teach him. Very lucky, if he has to say so himself.

Satisfied with seeing them on the ground and not moving, he turns his attention to Shiro, flipping out his dagger to cut the man’s straps. The man’s unconscious and he can work with that. Khuran can just teleport him with Kosmos to Adam, leaving Keith as the distraction in case they need it.

Just as he shifts Shiro to support his weight, footsteps are heading towards him, and he freezes because he can’t defend both Shiro and himself-

A familiar face pops up at the doorway, before the person heads towards him and shoves the table aside. “No, no, no, I’m saving Shiro,” the guy says with a haughty sniff, lifting Shiro’s other arm to place over his shoulders. At least he doesn’t have to drag the man anymore.

“That’s great,” Keith deadpans, ignoring the guy’s offended squawk. “But we really need to get out of here.”

“Do you even know who I am?” the guy demands.

“If I’m being honest, you look familiar, but we got more pressing issues at hand,” Keith tells him as he begins walking towards the exit. “My guardian did _not_ set those bombs for nothing, and I’m not willing to have the Garrison after us. Just tell me who you are while we get out of here.”

The guy huffs, but obeys him, helps him carry Shiro through the hallway and out of the quarantine camp. He also talks at the same time (Lance is the guy’s name, now that he’s been told and remembers), soothing and agitating his worries from how obnoxiously _loud_ the guy is. 

Despite their current problems, they make it out.

Khuran waits with the boy he’s seen with Lance before and a new one who looks slightly familiar. Kosmos is nowhere to be found, but that’s normal, since they have _guests_. “You’re late,” his guardian says flatly as he steps forward, his blades catching the moonlight.

“I noticed,” he tells Khuran dryly and shifts Shiro on his shoulders. The other man is still unconscious, unmoving, an occasional groan escaping him as Lance moves to shoulder Shiro’s weight with him. Faint noises of engines catches his attention, before he turns to see smoke rising from where the bombs were set.

“So, are we gonna escape now?” the yellow guy asks carefully. “Can we come with you?”

His guardian glances at the yellow guy, before letting out a soft sigh. “I will get back to Adam, then,” Khuran says as he gently takes Shiro from his and Lance’s hands before heaving the man onto his shoulder. Keith envies how easily it is for his guardian to carry stuff, and in this case, people. “Kosmos, let’s go. Keith, you know what to do.”

The Cosmic Wolf barks, before leaning against the man to disappear in a flash of light. The others stare at the empty spot where Khuran, Shiro, and Kosmos once stood.

“Holy shit,” Lance squeaks out in a high-pitched tone. “Did you guys just _see_ that? That guy just carried Shiro like nothing, and they just disappeared-”

“For Marmora’s sake,” Keith interrupts and pushes past them to get to his hoverbike. “Get on my hoverbike, we have to go _now_. So shut up, trust me, and hope for the damn fucking best because I am _not_ in the mood.”

* * *

Adam lifts his head to stare at the small party trodding into the house, pushing himself up to nod towards the other children, before focusing on Keith. “You alright?” he asks, watches the boy pull his boots off and fling them near the door. “Go take a shower before you step into the nest.”

“I had three inexperienced idiots with me, what did you expect?” Keith asks flatly, glancing towards the person next to him. He can feel his frown deepen as he follows his gaze towards where Shiro laid beside him. “How’s Shiro?”

“He’s fine, he just needs some rest,” he says, then he slides his gaze towards the other children. “So, cadets, wait in turns for the bathroom, Keith or Khuran will show you where the food is, and keep your shoes _away_ from the nest because I don’t want an angry alien. Again.”

“Haha,” Keith says dryly. “Is that directed to me or Khuran?”

“Both of you.”

“Offensive, even if it is true,” Khuran comments lightly as the man steps out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. He’s redressed in a tank top and loose pants, Adam notices as he looks back towards his fiancé, instead of those tunic-like clothing he wore when he, Keith, and Kosmos went out.

There are times he wonders if Khuran actually knows what he’s doing, especially letting three Garrison cadets know what he is. But it’s the man’s choice, his choice to allow strangers to know, and the consequences would be on him. Except... Khuran would have already been dismissing the notion of him being an alien.

Is his friend planning something?

He must have been frowning, since Khuran glances at him and looks back at Keith. “All of you kits should have a shower,” the man says slowly, before dropping the towel in the closet, takes his boots out. “I will be checking on Kosmos. Dinner should be in the microwave, if I remember what Adam said correctly.”

“Yeah, dinner’s in the microwave,” Adam confirms, and the man tilts his head and leaves behind a group of flustered kids. Keith only shakes his head in amusement before heading into the bathroom, shuts the door behind him and leaves silence between him and the cadets.

It’s the small one who speaks first. “So, you know the guy who vanished into thin air,” he says, not as a question, adjusts his glasses to stare stonily at him. Weird. He looks like Matt, one of Shiro’s best friends, even though he never actually officially met the guy. Sure, he’s seen him here and there, but they’ve never actually _spoken_.

Adam squints at him. “Yeah, I do,” he answers.

“With a blue _wolf_.”

“A Cosmic Wolf, actually,” Adam corrects him with a grin, and looks on with glee when the yellow one starts gaping at him like he just lost his head. He smirks when the lanky one looks ready to faint. “Kosmos is a wonderful friend, especially since he can teleport anywhere.”

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t put Kosmos on the spotlight!” Keith calls from the bathroom.

“I am _not_!” he protests, slightly horrified Keith would say such a thing. Then again, he’s Khuran’s ward and charge, so of course the boy would be acting like him. “Kosmos is always the best, and you know he can teleport us!”

He can’t see the boy, but he’s sure that Keith’s rolling his eyes right now. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean that you get to put him on the spotlight,” Keith snips back, and a hidden tone of amusement curls below the flat one. How is it that every time Keith does something, he’s emitting Khuran’s aura?

Opens his mouth to retort, before the door creaks open and Khuran is walking back in with an unimpressed look. He shuts his mouth, and the other man only shakes his head and heads into the kitchen. An awkward silence occurs between them all.

The lanky one breaks it. “So... is that guy always like that? Acting all weird and mysterious like the mullet head in the bathroom?”

Keith slams the door open, dressed in new clothing as the boy snarls, “What the _fuck_ did you just call me, dipshit?”

“You heard me,” the lanky one fires back, stubbornness flaring in brown eyes as he meets Keith head on. Adam watches with deep mortification and fascination when the other boy leans in and says the words slowly, as if Keith is a child. “Mullet head.”

“Were they like this in the Garrison, before Keith got booted?” he asks the yellow kid, just as Keith lets out a screech and dives towards the lanky one with the intent to tackle.

The kid snorts. “Yeah. Believe me when I say they can go for hours because of it,” the yellow kid says dryly, before reaching out with a shaky hand and a nervous smile. They both ignore the mess that both boys are currently in. “I’m Hunk.”

Adam smiles back and grasps Hunk’s forearm, the same way Khuran had greeted him all those years ago. “Name’s Adam. Welcome to the show, kid.”

* * *

_“Would you choose me or the universe?”_

_He pauses at the question, tilts his head in confusion as he reruns the question in his mind again. It’s easy to answer, when he turns back to his bondmate and feels a purr rumbling from him. It’s always been easy to answer, ever since he set his mind to his cause._

_“The universe,” he says quietly, reaches up to touch the small braid swinging near his bondmate’s ear. “I may love you, my heart may be yours,_ **_vomiar_** _, but I rather save millions of lives than just one.”_

 _His bondmate lets out a chuckle, one that still makes him smile softly. “I know,_ **_vomiar_** _. I know.”_

_Thoughts are replaced with a dizzying, pleasurable blank mind when his bondmate nips his ear playfully, and he lets go._

_He knows his bondmate will catch him, no matter what happens to them._

* * *

If someone told Pidge that she would be meeting an actual alien, one mysterious man and his ward, the famous Adam, and her brother’s friend who went with her brother on the Kerberos mission, she would have laughed in their face.

She wakes to something soft on her side of her face and the smell of bacon frying in a room away.

Pushes herself up and grabs at her glasses to put on, and allows herself to observe her surroundings with daylight shining through the small window. Lance snores next to Hunk, both of them settled in the fort thing between several pillows. Adam is curled next to the ward and her brother’s friend, all three piling together.

It’s strange to see them this way, to see them so relaxed in sleep. Pidge allows a small smile to grace her lips, before standing up and wobbling from the sudden movement. Stabilizing herself, she realizes there’s still one more person she hasn’t seen this morning.

Khuran; the man who had vanished into thin air with an alien that Adam called a Cosmic Wolf.

“You should be sleeping more, kit. It is only early morning,” a voice calmly speaks behind her, making her spin around to see Khuran holding a plate of toast, eggs, and bacon. She couldn’t even hear his footsteps! Shrugs, shifts on her feet before the man sighs. “If you want breakfast, please clean yourself up.”

He turns and disappears back into the kitchen, and she can’t help but feel curiosity prodding at her. Lets out a breath, deciding to take his advice and head towards the bathroom with determination to clean the grit off her body.

There was a comment that she vaguely remembers Adam making about the weird kid and Khuran, about them being aliens.

An extra plate of food is on the other side of the kitchen table when she finally finishes her shower, Khuran sipping something that smells of tea, before his eyes lifts up. He quirks a faint smile on his lips before it fades away and gestures to the chair. 

“Take a seat, kit,” he says, takes another sip. “Breakfast will be cold if you do not eat it now.”

She sits down and stares down at the food, before she picks up a fork and dives into the meal. Her stomach growls quietly in satisfaction; she didn/t realize she was hungry when she woke up from the fort thing. Glances towards the side, and to her surprise, the alien wolf sleeps next to Khuran’s feet.

“You teleported with that wolf,” Pidge says instead of thanking him, and he tilts his head to the side. “And you took that guy with you.”

“So I did,” Khuran agrees, seemingly amused by her statements, before he reaches down to scratch the alien wolf’s ears. Dark navy ears twitches, the wolf letting a pleased rumble in its chest before rolling over to show its stomach. She finishes up her meal, and stares at him with a squint.

“Adam says you’re an alien.”

The man only raises his eyebrow and scratches the wolf’s stomach. “And if I am?” he asks, nudges his plate away from the edge of the table and lifts his hand away from the wolf, earning a whine. He stands up, picking up the plate in front of him, before taking her plate as well.

“I don’t know,” she admits quietly. “Somehow, you knew that the guy would be stuck there, and you decided to take your alien wolf and the weird kid with you to save him. You also have a weird fort that everyone sleeps in-”

“It is a nest.” She shoots him a look, and he only raises his eyebrow in response. “It is the proper term for it. Do remember it, please.”

Rolls her eyes, but she nods. “Fine.” Wait. She stares at the man as he places the plates into the sink, the clues piecing themselves together in her mind. She gapes. “So you _are_ an alien!”

“I never denied anything,” Khuran says with a tilt of his head, lips curling into a faint smirk before it drops, before he gives a sharp nod towards the doorway. She turns to see the wide-eyed man staring at them. Khuran’s tone stays neutral, though she can hear the relief in his voice. “Shiro, you are awake.”

“K-Khuran...” Shiro continues to stare. “You...”

“Yes?”

It’s Shiro’s tone of wonder, astonishment, and next words that sends her falling down to her knees, giggling uncontrollably. “You finally renovated the kitchen?”

Pidge thinks Khuran is entirely justifiable for throwing a sponge at Shiro’s face.

* * *

“You were right about the alien species you taught me about,” Shiro says to Khuran once they all get together with the cadets who joined them. Keith snorts, patting Kosmos’ head as the Cosmic Wolf whines. “They’re dangerous. They won’t stop razing planets to the ground until they find Voltron.”

“What exactly do you know about Voltron?” Khuran asks slowly, tilts his head to the side as he waits for his answer. The only thing that gives Khuran away that he’s worried, is when the man shoots Adam a look. He ignores that, knowing that the two would stick together for the rest of this... meeting? Gathering? Whatever this is.

Shiro only pauses for a breath. “It’s a weapon, isn’t it? The only thing that can stop them.”

“Perhaps,” the man says. “You will need to find Voltron to stop them from ‘razing planets to the ground.’ What do you have so far?”

It’s like a switch of personality, and Shiro has to stop himself from reeling back from the military posture, has to stop and remind himself that Khuran is an ally. It reminds him too much of the ones who’ve captured him, though he can’t help but be wary. 

“They’re going to come to Earth, knock on our doorstep and invade our planet,” Shiro states, glancing towards Keith as the boy nods slowly, still positioned near the map. He has to admit that Keith had dedication, especially since Adam told him that he had been working on it day and night, only forced to bed and other obligations by Khuran. “Keith, what do you got that can help us stop them?”

Keith only shrugs and points to the map. “There’s some kind of faint energy radiating from this crop of large boulders, and I stumbled upon this cave with lion carvings. I believe that’s Voltron, based on what Khuran told me about it.”

“It is a legend that has been passed down for generations and generations across all planets,” Khuran says gravely, and nods towards Lance. “Something you wish to say, B- Lance?”

He doesn’t miss the slip-up, and frowns. His friend is hiding something from him.

“Are we gonna explore that area, then?” the cadet asks impatiently, shifts from one feet to another as he nervously glances outside. He doesn’t blame him; the Garrisons are making them all wary. “Because we’re all kind of refugees now? Since we helped save Shiro?”

“I already have this place under a cloaking device,” Khuran says dryly. The man snorts at Hunk and Pidge’s surprised look, already heading towards the kitchen. “Do you think I would not try and defend my own home? Earthlings have a tendency to poke their nose into the wrong business.”

“Oh my god, you’re an _alien_ ,” Hunk squeaks out. “And we’re being invaded by _aliens_.”

“The world can hear you,” Adam says with a small laugh, reaching out to grab his hand. Shiro takes the offer, gently squeezing Adam’s hand back as he leans against his fiancé and breathed in his scent. It’s been too long, far too long since he’s last spent time with this man, the love of his life. “Shiro?”

“I was thinking that after we find Voltron, we go and catch each other up, yeah?” Shiro asks.

Adam smiles that beautiful smile. “Of course. Anything for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may be updated once a month, or once a week, when I find my footing in my updating schedule and if I have time to write.
> 
>  **Terms** :  
> Nest - The area where a Galra pride sleeps. It's filled with pillows, blankets, anything soft to sleep in.  
> Kits - The Galra term for children.  
> Bondmate - The Galra term for a chosen partner, wife, or husband.  
>  _Vomiar_ \- This is the Galra term for "my friend," but it can also translate to "my love." It's mostly used for lovers, in this case.  
> Earthlings - The space term for humans.
> 
> Enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

“You,” Keith snarls from the puddle of water, tangled within the pile of groaning Earthlings, and Khuran raises his eyebrow at him. “You- You are a _bastard_!”

“Is that really my fault, kit?” he asks, feels a flicker of amusement when his ward glowers at him with all that anger inside of him, waiting to burst out. There’s always some kind of pleasure in watching Keith looking at him as if he can’t decide if he’s exasperated or ready to strangle him.

There’s always been something about Keith that he can’t put a finger on, can’t understand why until he witnessed the boy’s loyalty and bravery. All the traits that make up the Galra themselves as a species. It’s heartwarming to see that Keith is so much like his _orjax_ , and yet not. He loves his ward anyways.

“Yes! It really fucking is!” Keith roars at him, looks as if he’s ready to strangle him instead, before Hunk lets out a screech of terror. They immediately tense, hands on their weapons as they spin towards the boy, who looks absolutely terrified.

How did this boy become the Yellow Paladin, if he keeps jumping at shadows?

“Don’t freak out,” Hunk whimpers, shakily lifts a finger to point somewhere behind them. He has to stifle a sigh from the terror emitting from the young Earthling. “But there’s a lion robot and it’s _huge_.”

He has underestimated how pathetic some Earthlings can be when placed in some situations.

“You are afraid of the Blue Lion, I presume?” Khuran asks with a sigh as he lets go of his blades and waits for them to calm down. Shiro gives him a confused stare, just as Kosmos barks loudly. It’s overwhelming, he supposes, that one of the Voltron Lions is here. He remembers the first time he saw Voltron with his own eyes.

“Wait, you _knew_ it was here?” Lance asks incredulously, points towards the Blue Lion and flinches. “Oh my god, does anyone feel like their eyes are following you anywhere?”

“No,” comes the (expected) responses.

“I must be going crazy, then,” Lance concludes.

He closes his eyes and resists the urge to smack his hand against his forehead.

Adam shoots him a worried look, just as Kosmos licks Keith’s cheek when his ward finally climbs out of the water hole with the others following him. Khuran waves him off, turns to face Shiro’s steady gaze. The (former? About to be appointed?) Black Paladin turns to face the Blue Lion and stays silent as they all stare in awe.

The silence is deafening enough to make him want to swing out his blades to end it. Keith reaches out to place a hand on his shoulder, and he absently notes how tall Keith is; nearly as tall as him. Pushes the thought away and focuses on the kits in front of him.

They’re young, easily impressionable, and it worries him what would happen if they meet someone who can manipulate their minds. Like Sendak’s promises of glory, he remembers, like Haggar’s little mind games. It’s like them, trying to twist one’s mind into a different mindset in order to achieve what they want.

“So... is that Voltron?” Pidge asks, tilting her head to the side. The others pause, before looking towards him with a curious look.

“No, it’s just a part of Voltron, if I remember the legends correctly,” Keith pipes up, shooting a look of distress at him, as if saying he doesn’t want to deal with this. Khuran raises an eyebrow, and that makes Keith roll his eyes and turn back to the others. “Look at the colour of it. Like Khuran said, that’s the Blue Lion, one of the legs of Voltron.”

They stare at him blankly. “ _Yes_ ,” Keith repeats impatiently like he knows what they’re asking him. “The _Blue Lion_ can _transform_ into a _leg_. It’s none of my business how it turns into a leg.”

“I’m more concerned about your brain,” Lance confesses, “and why that thing is still staring at me.”

“Don’t these aliens want this robot lion?” Hunk asks, furrows his brows and seemingly shrinks back when everyone turns to stare at him now. “Shouldn’t we give it to them so they’ll leave Earth alone?”

He feels a flare of panic in his chest as he tries to swallow, and fails miserably as he shakes his head. Curls his hand into a fist as he hisses, catching everyone’s attention as he stares stonily at the kit. They’re naive, they’ve never been in a war ( _not yet_ –), and this kind of thinking would cost them _everything_ the Blade of Marmora and the rebels have done so far.

Kosmos rubs himself against his leg, and he tries to relax, but he _can’t_.

“No,” Khuran says harshly, perhaps a little too harshly when Hunk flinches from him. “If we give Voltron to them, it will enable them to take over Earth. It will allow them to take over the entire universe with Voltron by their side. We give them a Lion, and they will kill us all in order to find out where the other Lions are.”

Silence crashes down on them. “Oh,” is all Hunk says after a moment. “That makes sense.”

 _It should_ , he thinks flatly. The Galra Empire is not to be underestimated or overestimated, which is what the Blade of Marmora has done for decaphoebs. He isn’t going to let them make the same mistake like when Voltron first came to the surface.

“Well, hello, Blue Lion,” Lance greets lightly, as if trying to lighten the moment. The boy waltzes straight up to the forcefield and knocks on it, smiles brightly. “Wanna open up for us?”

“That sounds so wrong, Lance,” Pidge mutters, then jumps when the force field opens. The others are left gaping at the situation. “Okay, what the fuck-”

Khuran exchanges a glance with Adam and motions him to the small boxes they had packed. Kosmos sits beside them and blinks at him with what seems to be an innocent look. They have a long road ahead of them, and he really would like the supplies they packed to get on board the Blue Lion.

* * *

“That,” Khuran says, his voice dark as they all stare outside at the large spaceship in front of the Blue Lion. Lance can’t help but swallow at the size of it. The thing is huge, even bigger than the lion robot ship they’re in, and he thought that was huge. This thing is massive as fuck! “That is a Galra battle cruiser.”

“A _what_?” Adam’s voice is full of horror as they all turn to stare at the man. “Did you say _battle cruiser_?”

The man only raises his eyebrow and gestures to the large spaceship. “They must have discovered that the Blue Lion was here and were sent here by authorities to retrieve it,” he says quietly, as if he’s not worried. Lance has to disagree with Khuran’s tone, because it’s not exactly helping them right now.

In fact, it’s terrifying.

“So we got to lead that ship away from Earth, then,” Shiro determines, and he swallows, slightly terrified that he has to pilot a _lion robot_ from this Galra battle cruiser and direct it away from Earth. “Lance, you should be okay.”

“Unless he crashes like how he wrecks the simulator,” he hears Pidge mutter under his breath, makes him snap his head around to glare at him, pauses at the amount of stares on himself. Keith and Adam stare at him in horror, while Shiro’s eyes are wide with shock, the man’s mouth slightly ajar. Hunk and Pidge exchange glances while Khuran rubs a hand over his face, and Kosmos stares outside and towards the ship.

“You _wrecked_ the _simulator_?” Adam squeaks out.

Lance turns his glare towards him. “Yeah? What about it?”

Keith buries his face in his hands and groans out loud. “We’re doomed. We’re so fucking _doomed_.”

Something seems to be glowing in front of them, and Khuran’s eyes widens with fear. “Eyes on front, Blue Paladin, we are in a battle,” he immediately snaps, just as laser beams fire at them.

Lance lets out a screech, pulls at the levers next to him, before the Blue Lion shoots forward with a growl. Blue’s familiar voice purrs in his mind, something warm wrapping themselves around his shoulders as he moves them to dodge. The others scream right alongside him as he tries to maneuver around the laser beams.

 _Pay attention, little destined one_ , Blue whispers, like the times she whispered in his mind when he was still in the Garrisons, or when he was flying the simulator. There was always something missing when he flew in the simulator, something he feels in his bones when he crashes it every time. _Fly free, my Paladin. Fight_.

“Holy shit,” Hunk shrieks as Lance _moves_ them, lets Blue roar in fury and anger, powers up the rocket boosters and flies straight towards the ship. A stray laser beam nearly hits them, makes him spin the Lion around with a hiss and a growl rising from Blue.

“Be careful, dude!” Pidge yelps, and Blue hisses a warning, a laser slicing close to them and it makes Blue roar with anger.

She rockets forward with another roar, just as Lance pushes a lever forward to allow a beam of blue light, bright as ice, to shoot from her mouth. Pleasure slinks through his mind like a fox as he watches the beam drag through the ship with a gaping mouth. The amount of shit that just happened within a few minutes... 

_Oh my god_ , he thinks, dazed, and Blue purrs with satisfaction, sounding pleased with their work. Like she’s pleased that they hit something with whatever that was.

A various amount of explosions erupts on said ship.

“Oh my god,” Adam echoes his thoughts, Shiro’s mouth gaping at the amount of damage done. Khuran only snorts, curling his hand in Kosmos’ fur, the Cosmic Wolf barking.

“Pay attention,” the smaller man tells Lance with a steady voice, just as Blue sends a wave of memories in his mind, feels the urge to allow Blue to claw the shit out of that ship. Turns to spin her around and dips down into a deep dive, allows her claws to extend and they cling onto the ship with a loathing that reminds him of his rivalry with Keith.

It’s different when flying Blue because she’s in his head, whispering encouragement and purring loudly in his mind, that it’s not lonely in there. Then he’s back on the battlefield and he concentrates on his task.

The claws drag across the ship’s side, the sound of metal screeching as he lets go, flies off while hearing the explosions ring through. Orange and grey smoke rises through space, and it illuminates what has been their victory. Shiro clasps his shoulder, and he has to bite back a squeal, because this is his hero!

“Good job, Lance,” Shiro tells him, and he preens under the attention. Keith rolls his eyes and shakes his head while Adam chuckles in amusement.

“Thanks,” he tells Shiro and wonders how he just manages to keep his voice from shaking. “We should get out of here, and lead them away from our planet.”

“That is a very good option to do,” Hunk says, nervously looks out the window. “Because they’re right behind us.”

Lance curses at his luck. Blue is seemingly laughing at him.

* * *

**_“Yield, halfbreed.”_ **

_His eyes fly open and he gasps for air, takes in the sight of the welcoming darkness around him, nearly curls into himself when a hand reaches out to grip his shoulder. Stiffens, lets out a slow breath, and turns around to face yellow sclera glowing in the dark. It’s too much, too much to see that familiar face and know that his beloved is somewhere else, wearing a different face._

_“Are you alright?” the other asks softly, gently, and it’s too much to handle, too much to try and not break down in tears._

_“I am fine,” he says after a moment, sitting up with a wince as he takes in the sight of the other’s bondmate looking at him as well. “You should both go to sleep.”_

_“We were about to,” the other’s bondmate says quietly. “But you were stressed.”_

_Ah. He only smiles at them and turns to his other side so he doesn’t have to see the way the bondmates are curled within each other, the same way he would with his own bondmate. It aches, it hurts, it pains him when he tries to see his own bondmate with memories of soft smiles, lingering touches, and stolen moments of them alone._

_All he wants is to see his bondmate again, but he can’t, not until he keeps everyone safe from Zarkon’s hands._

_“I will be fine.” He will have to be, for his own bondmate’s sake._ May Marmora look after you, **vomiar** _, he thinks with fallen tears, darkness creeping in, desperately wishing his bondmate is next to him._ May our ancestors look after us all from the stars above _._

* * *

“Alien planet, fresh air, _fresh air_ ,” Hunk says hurriedly, throws his hands into the air as they pile out of the Blue Lion and into _fresh air_. Khuran shrugs as he strokes Kosmos’ fur as the Cosmic Wolf barks at them, seemingly amused.

 _Those lucky bastards_ , he thinks viciously. _They teleported out of there and onto the planet first! All while escaping Lance’s–!_

“I am _never_ going to go on the same ship as you ever again,” Keith tells Lance flatly, to which his best friend responds with his tongue sticking out at the other teenager. Pidge pats Keith’s back sympathetically, while Adam and Shiro stare at the large castle in front of them.

He’s not sure who exactly got them into this mess, but he’s most likely betting it on Lance and Keith’s alien guardian. Not to mention, said alien guardian knows more about space than any of them, and it makes Hunk wonder what he knows exactly about everything in space. He already mentioned a Galra battle cruiser, and he knows about the Blue Lion.

It makes him wonder what Khuran isn’t telling them.

“This is the Castle of Lions,” Khuran announces, gestures towards the large building as he hears loud robotic movements behind him. Startled, he turns around and gapes as the Blue Lion lifts its head up and roars at the castle. Teal lights extend all over the mechanism in front of them, and then the doors slide open with a rocky grunt.

They all stare.

“Oh my fucking _god_ ,” is all Hunk says, swallows, and Lance is still staring at the doors. “What’s next, aliens popping out of nowhere to attack us?”

Khuran moves to the side, Kosmos disappearing and reappearing with what seems to be weapons; or to be looking more closely, two swords. The man slides them into sheaths, and he swallows as Keith motions to a knife on the side of his waist, and Adam lifts a pistol up out of nowhere.

What the _hell_?

“As much as I would like to believe that there will be no one attacking us,” Khuran says dryly, motions to the weapons. “I rather have us be safe than sorry. There may be traps in this Altean ship, even if Alteans themselves are not hostile.”

“How many alien species are there?” Pidge asks curiously.

The man pauses, before grimacing. “Far too many to count.”

That doesn’t sound reassuring at _all_. Hunk swallows as Khuran leads the way into the castle, and darkness looms over them. He’s still not sure if they can even trust whatever is going on in the man’s mind. They’ve just been inside a robot lion, got chased by an alien ship, been told that said alien ship is part of an alien species that’s after them, and they’re stuck on an alien planet.

He has a _right_ to be terrified right now.

It’s pitch black, but his eyes are slowly adjusting to the dark. Keith and Khuran are already leading the way, both of them murmuring quietly to each other while Khuran’s hand is buried in Kosmos’ fur. The others are walking ahead of him, and Hunk is fine with that, fine with just hanging in the back and hopefully _not_ get _killed_.

“There should be scanners soon,” Khuran murmurs, violet eyes seemingly shining in the dark, moving deeper into the corridor. Giant white columns with teal-coloured designs softly shimmer in the dark as well, and it would have been enchanting if Khuran didn’t say the Alteans may _attack_ them. “If I remember my Altean technology correctly.”

“Scanners,” Lance repeats quietly in disbelief. “You mean like those metal scanners in the airport or something like that? To identify if we got weapons? Because there’s _weapons_ in your _hands_ and that might get us kicked out.”

Khuran snorts, like he’s amused by Lance’s question. “Altean scanners are more used to see if we’re hostile,” he says as the man leads them further in. “There is no greater or mystical technology than Altean technology, seeing that they also use magic.”

Adam’s eyes light up. “So you’re saying that Altean tech uses magic in order to see if–”

A soft blue light suddenly shines upon them, surrounds them within a barrier, with a voice speaking in a strange language as light scans them. Hunk isn’t sure if he can handle whatever is coming next, but seeing how they’re still fine, he’ll take that as a win. Maybe. Probably. The aliens here are friendly like Khuran said, right?

Then the corridors come alight, one by one.

They’re left gaping at the sight.

“Oh, my _god_. What the _fuck_ ,” is all Lance says. Kosmos lets out an excited bark before charging down the corridors, leaving them all to stare after the Cosmic Wolf. There’s not enough words to express his awe and disbelief at the situation at hand.

“Guess we’re going where Kosmos is going,” Shiro says weakly.

“Yippee,” Pidge deadpans. “We’re going into an alien castle and we could be killed. Yippee.”

Hunk cannot agree more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect to update three months later? But I started getting invested with Star Wars, and I started having a writer's block for where I wanted this chapter to go. The next chapter will hopefully be updated this month. Thank you to everyone who's been patient with me in order to update! Thank you!
> 
>  **Terms** :  
> Earthling - The space term for humans.  
>  _Orjax_ \- The Galran term for a mother-figure. This could be the birth mother or an adopted figure who acts like a mother for a kit.  
> Decaphoebs - The space term for years.  
> Halfbreed - The term for any alien hybrids, but mostly used for Galran hybrids, since the Galra Empire prefers pure-blooded Galra.  
> Bondmate - The Galran term for a partner, husband, or wife.  
>  _Vomiar_ \- This is the Galra term for "my friend," but it can also translate to "my love." It's mostly used for lovers, in this case.
> 
> Enjoy!


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